The processing of a silver halide color photographic material essentially consists of color development (preceded by a 1st black-and-white development in the case of color reversal light-sensitive material) and desilvering. The desilvering process consists of a bleaching process and a fixing process or a combined bleaching and fixing process. Other processing steps may be optionally added such as rinsing, stop and pretreatment for acceleration of development.
In color development, exposed silver halide is reduced to silver. At the same time, an aromatic primary amine developing agent thus oxidized reacts with a coupler to form a dye. In this process, halogen ions produced by the decomposition of silver halide elute into the developing solution and are then accumulated therein. On the other hand, the color developing agent is consumed by the reaction with the coupler. Furthermore, other components become affixed to and are carried away by the photographic light-sensitive material. Thus, the concentration of the developing solution is gradually lowered. Therefore, if a large amount of silver halide photographic materials are subjected to continuous processing by means of an automatic developing machine or the like, a means is needed for keeping the concentration of the active ingredients in the color developing solution in a constant range in order to avoid fluctuation in the finish properties due to the fluctuation in the concentration of the color developing solution.
For example, if a consumable component such as a developing agent and a preservative is little susceptible to the effects of being concentrated, its concentration in the supply liquid may be raised. Elutable components having a development inhibiting effect such as halogen may be incorporated in the supply liquid in a lower concentration or may not be incorporated in the supply liquid at all. In order to eliminate the effects of such elutable components, certain kinds of compounds may be incorporated in the supply liquid. The pH value of the processing solution or the concentration of an alkali or chelating agent may properly be adjusted. This is normally accomplished by supplying a liquid for making up for the lack of components and diluting concentrated components. The supply of such a liquid inavoidably produces a large amount of overflow liquid, leaving great economical and environmental problems.
In recent years, it has been keenly desired to reduce the supply amount of a color developing solution for the purpose of expediting development, saving resources and avoiding environmental pollution. However, if the supply amount of a color developing solution is simply reduced, the accumulation of elutes from the light-sensitive material, particularly bromine ion (a strong development inhibitor) or various organic compounds causes problems such as remarkable deterioration in photographic properties, e.g., color density or sensitivity and remarkably low contrast as the continuous processing proceeds. Furthermore, the color developing solution shows a remarkable deterioration which produces a large amount of suspended matter, denying practical use.
Many methods have been heretofore suggested for inhibiting the fluctuation in the photographic properties due to the processing with a small supply amount of a color developing solution. A technique which comprises using various development accelerators and couplers to inhibit the fluctuation in photographic properties due to the processing with a small supply amount of a processing solution is disclosed in JP-A-57-150847, JP-A-58-4145, JP-A-58-120250, JP-A-60-165651, and JP-A-61-269153 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"). However, this technique leaves to be desired in its effects.
JP-A-61-70552 discloses a technique for expediting color development by using a high silver chloride content light-sensitive material and processing with a small supply amount of a color developing solution by using this technique. This technique is considered to be a useful means for reducing the accumulation of bromine ions, strong development inhibitor, to expedite development. However, if a high silver chloride content light-sensitive material is actually used to reduce the supply amount of the developing solution, it little mars rapidity in development but causes a remarkable fluctuation in the photographic properties as the continuous processing proceeds. In particular, the color density and sensitivity are remarkably deteriorated and the contrast becomes low. Furthermore, the deterioration of the color developing solution and the production of a large amount of suspended matter cause buildup on the roller resulting in stains on the light-sensitive material, filter plugging or other problems. Thus, this technique cannot be put into practical use. This technique which comprises simply using a high silver chloride content light-sensitive material to reduce the accumulation of bromine ions does not satisfactorily permit reducing the supply amount of a color developing solution. A noble technique had been desired.
At present, the supply amount of a color developing solution differs somewhat with the type of a light-sensitive material to be processed but is normally in the range of 180 to 1,000 ml per 1 m.sup.2 of light-sensitive material. The reason why the supply amount of a color developing solution cannot be reduced to less than the above described range is that the above described critical problems such as remarkable fluctuations in photographic properties, deterioration of the color developing solution and production of suspended matter appear as the continuous processing proceeds. Heretofore, no essential resolutions have been found.